Explanation:
Late March and early April of 1996 marked a banner season for viewing
the spectacular
naked-eye comet Hyakutake.
The spring of 1997 could well offer a similar
cometary wonder, Comet Hale-Bopp.
Discovered last year while approaching the inner solar sytem
Hale-Bopp has been eagerly watched for signs that it will indeed brighten
spectacularly.
So far, things look good!
This recent image of the comet
was made on May 14 at the European Southern
Observatory when the comet about 340 million miles from Earth.
It is shown here using false colors to indicate relative
brightness. Stars are visible through
the expanding coma.
Recent reports are that its level of activity, the rate of dust
and gas production from the solar heating of the
icy nucleus is as expected.
An analysis of its orbit indicates that this comet will approach to within
nearly 120 million miles of Earth on March 22, 1997.
The orbital calculations also reveal that Hale-Bopp
has visited the inner solar system before ... about 4200 years ago.